By Francis Nansak, Lafia
Pandemonium is about setting in among two communities in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Royal fathers of Auta Balefi and Tudun Wada all from Karu local government area have entered into sharp disagreement over boundary and installation of subjects leading to a war of words that calls for prompt intervention to avert the looming crisis.
A source revealed that the Sangarin Tudun Wada Alhaji Abubakar Bako, a third class staff of office chief and his counterpart of Kudape District Chief Sabo Fyenu, are at loggerheads leading to a proposed stalemate on the crowning of some imminent personalities in Tudun Wada chiefdom who are to serve as Hakimi’s( community heads).
The source who spoke on condition of anonymity added that Tudun Wada can not be prevented from taking steps to develop its chiefdom by the Auta Balefi chief, as that would mean a deliberate attempt to inflinch on the right of the Sangarin Tudun Wada, who is the head of the chiefdom.
Our correspondent on facts finding for this report gathered that Tudun Wada is a chiefdom created by the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura with every right to control the area, as such can crown whoever is considered fit to be a subordinate to the third class chief across his territory, just like others across
Meanwhile, Alhaji Abubakar Bako the Sangari of Tudun Wada has vowed never to be threatened by mere shenanigans orchestrated by those who never mean well for his chiefdom. He added that nothing will stop him from going ahead to turban his subordinates, no matter the threats.
He said” In the first place we had issues over boundary adjustment, where the chief of Kudape is claiming some of my territory to be under his district, and I do not see such a possibility.
” Before I became appointed as third class chief, I was responsible for collection of tax here including his place and that responsibility was saddled on me by the late Esu Karu, Baba Bulus Chetobu, that was even before the chief of Kudape settled where he is today, so how can he claim, he owns some areas within my chiefdom?
Reacting and contrary to the claims of the chief of Tudun Wada, Chief Sabo Fyenu the monarch of Kudape, said they have been existing in the community since 1974, when the government created the area here.
Speaking through his on the Magajin Garin Kudape, Prince Joseph Sabo, averred that the issue at hand is without documents to back their claims. Displaying documents to support his points, which included appointment letters when his father was made the village head far back during Benue – Plateau under J. D Gomwalk as governor.
” As village head, my father was in charge of the area including Tudun Wada, so looking at these documents, you will discover that there are Twelve (12) communities under Kudspe Hamlet. Then in 1993 during the administration of Sir Fidelis Tapgun as governor of Plateau State I recalled that even during Solomon Lar’s administration, this chiefdom(Kudape) was created but was however truncated by the military who took over power.
” But with the return of democracy, Governor Abdullahi Adamu became governor of Nasarawa State, he again reinstated district heads, that was in 1999 and year 2000. Honestly speaking at the time of creating the district and the appointment of a district head, Tudun Wada was not included in the 2001 Gazette. This was during the reins of late Esu Karu Bulus Chetubo. A complaint was made that having every district with three(3) village areas will be important.
” So Tudun Wada became a village area, much after when government envisaged creating additional village areas and Tudun Wada was considered,” He said
Prince Joseph Sabo further explained that with a development setting in which the need for additional chiefdoms became vivid, it became a matter on the front burner of government and Tudun Wada got elevated to a chiefdom, whereas initially, we had wanted it to be a district.
” Now that it is a chiefdom, they still do not have a district head, as they still are part of Kudape District following the 2001 Gazette it was during Governor Al-makura that he was appointed. Where is his area since there is yet a spelt-out boundary demarcating Tudun Wada from Kudspe district? He should prove his claims with documents, let him proof that he ever collected tax from any community if not by delegation which my father usually assigned him to as his principal officer” Sabo reiterated.
Prince Joseph Sabo, call on the Nasarawa State Government and the Governor, Engineer Abdullahi to intervene on the matter, saying they are law-abiding citizens of the state and will stick to government directives against anything that will breach the law and order.
He added that as a peace-loving people, they have no hands whatsoever in turbaning of his subjects, but warned that he should not cross over kudape territory.